Romiley & District U3A

Newsletter

Web site – http://u3asites.org.uk/romiley

Issue 34 – Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec -16- Jan 2017 Registered Charity 1119203

Charity 1119203

Front Page Chairman’s Report.

Pages 2 to 8 Group Activity reports, further meetings etc.

Back Page Further Information. CHAIRMAN’S CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

Happy New Year – I hope you have enjoyed the Christmas break, and you are all probably pleased to be getting back to normality! I should like to thank all the members of the committee for all the work they have carried out throughout the year, all the helpers and everybody else for supporting us. We have an exciting programme of speakers for you. We are developing our website with a lot more information for you to explore. Your generosity was welcomed by Rubens Retreat last year’s charity and we hope you will give the same support for our new charity New Horizons. I would ask you all again to support the society by volunteering to join the committee and to form new groups. We need new ideas and input to develop the society, which is very important for its further future!

IAN

Gardening Appreciation (1) spent a November morning making artistic representations of flowers.

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LITERATURE GROUP

October’s book ‘Cranford” by Elizabeth Gaskell was a success, as most of us found the manners of the time interesting and at times quite funny. I wonder what future generations will think of us? We followed this book by ‘The Road to Little Dribbling”, by Bill Bryson. This was again quite an amusing book, to see ourselves as others see us. It began in Cornwall and meandered through to the north coast of Scotland, with diversions along the way. It was an easy read and provided a lot to discuss. In December we all brought along a poem of our choice to read and discuss. This proved an interesting meeting with some diverse poems. Themes covered some of the serious issues of the day to amusing anecdotes and foibles of everyday life. Our future plans include “Fame is the Spur” by Howard Spring; a Colin Dexter ‘Morse’ book; and ‘Conclave” by Robert Harris. We will then follow on with ‘Rogue Herries’ by Robert Walpole, if it is not too difficult to find At the moment we have space for another member. If anyone is interested, please ring me. Rosemary

FRENCH CONVERSATON GROUP

The French Conversation Group continues to thrive and we look forward to finally completing our read of a story by Gustave Flaubert which has proved quite challenging. As Francophiles we were saddened by the result of the EU referendum ...quel dommage! The news and our activities and interests continue to be the focus of our French conversation. . Barbara

GARDEN APPRECIATION GROUP - ONE

Visit to 39, Osborne Street, - Wednesday 28th September

We were made very welcome by Geoff Hoyle and his lovely wife, complete with tea and biscuits and homemade cakes. . Can you imagine 35, Dahlias, some up to 7 feet high, many different varieties and colours; it certainly had the WOW factor. After the visit we all enjoyed lunch at The Spread Eagle at Hatherlow. That’s how to spend a great day! Irene

November Gardening Appreciation spent a November morning making artistic representations of flowers. As opportunities for exploring gardens had become fewer as winter approached, it was decided to have an indoor event painting bisque coasters with colourful glazes. As members became absorbed in the activity, never was a room of ladies so quiet. A tea and coffee break allowed for a "leg stretch" and then it was back to work before our allotted time in the Community Centre Studio was used up. The artistic efforts were promptly fired in a kiln and members declared their satisfaction at the results. By Anne

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GARDENING GROUP (2)

December to February are not the best months for gardens so our meetings are usually of a social nature. Before Christmas the meeting was at Sue and Graham's house where we had refreshments, lots of chat and a presentation on "Flowers of Majorca" which reminded us of sunny days. In January we all met at Platform 1 in Romiley on a bright, warmish day and enjoyed a lunch together catching up on Christmas news. The February meeting is to be our planning meeting for the year. Last year our early trips were marred by hail storms, cold weather and owners cancelling visits as their gardens were running about a month late. However, gardeners have to be an optimistic lot and with luck 2017 will get off to a better start. The snow outside as this is written is bound to be just a blip! Sue

MATINEE THEATRE GROUP

We started the Autumn season with a visit to The Carver Theatre, Maple, who performed a very clever farce “The Decorator”. The casting and acting were superb. There were only three actors and each had very demanding roles, particularly the decorator. A really successful outing. Ruth Members went to the Lowry on October 19th to see one of Alan Ayckbourn’s earlier plays “Relatively Speaking”. After an uneventful first act, the two stars- Robert Powell and Liza Goddard- came on stage and the laughs started coming thick and fast. It was a typical Ayckbourn plot of mistaken identities and resulting confusion and an excellent garden set, plus clear diction, helped make the play a most enjoyable experience. Val “Crazy For You” performed by Operatic at The Plaza was our next outing. This was a slick and polished production although a little noisy at times. The cast worked vey hard and the costumes were pleasing.. Matthew Bourne’s “The Red Shoes” at the Lowry was magical. The dancing, costumes, sets and lighting were so imaginative and we enjoyed a delightful afternoon. We start the New Year with a trip to the Bolton Octagon to see Willy Russell’s “Educating Rita”. We have also booked for Twelfth Night at the Royal Exchange on 25th April, then Alan Bennet’s “Talking Heads” on June 25th. Booking forms are available at the General Meeting. Associate members can send me an A4 SAE and I will send them a booking form. Ruth

BOOK GROUP

“The Peculiar Life of a Lonely Postman” by Canadian Denis Theriault, written in French and translated by Liedewy Hawke, received a mixed response. It tells the tale of Bilodo, a lonely postman, who finds relief from his isolation by illegally steaming open envelopes and reading their contents. One day he comes across a mysterious letter containing only a single haiku and finds himself caught up in the relationship

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between a long-distance couple who write to each other using only haiku, a beautiful and succinct form. .of Japanese poetry. When one of the correspondents dies, Bilodo takes over the correspondence, with disastrous results. The book was beautifully written and the haikus enchanting, but this book wasn’t to everybody’s taste. Nevertheless it prompted a lively discussion. We all agreed that Patrick Gale’s “A Place Called Winter” was worth reading, but rather uncomfortable at times. In Edwardian , highly respectable Harry Cane is forced to emigrate to the harsh, newly colonised Canadian prairies. He embarks on an extraordinary journey, not only of physical hardship, but also a voyage of self-discovery. Patrick Gale based this novel on the life of his great-grandfather and it is a fascinating book. Andrea Levy’s “Small Island” well deserved its many awards and most of us agreed it was an interesting read and created much discussion. The story describes the experiences of two well educated Jamaicans when they emigrate to England after the Second World War when racism was still very strong .The book also highlights the difficulties of people settling down after the war, scarred by the conflict. “The Lie” by Helen Dunmore was a book well worth reading but not particularly enjoyable. Set during the First World War and afterwards in 1920, the novel describes Daniel’s experiences in the trenches, the death of his “blood brother” and how these events affected his subsequent life. The author started her career as a poet and this is evident in her writing and choice of words. Our final book “The Wide Sargasso Sea” by Jean Rhys was not a popular choice. It is written as a possible prequel to “Jane Eyre” and described the early life of Bertha, or rather Antoinette Cosway, a Creole girl brought up in Jamaica just after the island gained independence. The story is told in the first person by three of the characters and this made it difficult to follow although the descriptions of Jamaica were vivid. Bertha’s story, of course ends in tragedy as most do most of the books written by Jean Rhys. She lived a colourful life and her books no doubt reflect this. Her work was highly regarded but we are not sure why. Ruth

PLAY READING GROUP

The play reading group continues to meet on the third Thursday of the month at 2pm in various venues. Sometimes, if more convenient for the members, we get together on a Wednesday. In January the chosen play is 'All Things Bright & Beautiful,' a comedy by Keith Waterhouse & Willis Hall. We have our main meeting Wednesday 4th January or February 1st if you can arrive for 1.15, we meet at Trinity Methodist Church SK3 8TB just let me know if you you'll be attending. Look forward to meeting you. Pauline Membership Secretary

DRAWING & PAINTING GROUP

We have had two new members recently and attendance has been good, with an average of 15. We were lucky enough to have a tutor, Frank Sergeant in October. He is a retired Bishop and skilled water colour painter. We were shown techniques which were new to some of us and definitely very interesting and useful. Frank is returning for two sessions in February and we look forward to seeing him again. Shirley PAGE 4 NEWSLETTER 34 SEPT,OCT,NOV,DEC-16 JAN 2017

ART APPRECIATION GROUP

In October we visited the Clarke Art Gallery in Hale. We have been there several times and we are always made to feel welcome. Mr Clarke gave us a fascinating tour of the exhibits which were varied and interesting and showed great skill. He told us much about the artists and their techniques that he remembered from knowing them so well. Altogether a most worthwhile visit.

In November we saw short films about Andy Warhol who painted the famous pictures of Marilyn Monroe, Campbell soup cans and Coke bottles. We mentioned other “pop artists” and discussed whether such pictures are Art: the general opinion seemed to be “Yes, but I wouldn’t really want them on my living room wall.”

In December we held our traditional and very enjoyable Christmas party during which a small presentation was made to Hannah Douglas as a token of appreciation for her knowledgeable and generous leadership over many years. Hannah has given up the leadership but will continue membership. The new contact is Joan Taylor: details are in the list of Group Leaders.

In January we met at Stella Walker’s, where we brought a winter-themed picture which members introduced and discussed. Joan

HELP!

If we don’t get any new members for the committee next Autumn your U3A cannot continue. We will be losing two valuable committee members in November and they must be replaced if your U3A group is to survive. It is essential that we elect someone who has financial expertise.

PLEASE THINK HOW YOU COULD HELP?

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Romiley Defibrillator You may have noticed a bright pink box on the front wall of the Forum building, next to the Notice Board. This is a defibrillator, one of three in our area, the others being in Bredbury and Woodley. The money for these has been raised by Emma Porter, a Paramedic who is also a fund raiser for Millie’s Trust, a Charity which was founded in memory of a 9 month old baby who died in a choking incident at Nursery in 2012. Their aim is to provide education and training in first aid readily available in as many places as possible. Romiley Community Association has donated £1,000 towards the Romiley Defibrillator, the balance being from Millie’ s Trust. On Monday 16th January the Chairman of the Community Association, Les Wood handed over the cheque to Emma in the Community Centre and a photograph has been sent to the local press.

To anyone interested in learning how to use the device. Places are limited to 50. If you will be attending, A training session is planned for Thursday, 16th March, in the Community Centre, which is open then please enter your name on the Attendance Sheet on the Notice Board in the Community Centre, or email or phone Chris Walters, [email protected] , 0161 430 6714 and he will keep Emma informed. . Please do note that it is not necessary to attend the training to be able to use the Defibrillator, as full instructions are with the unit. As instructed on the box on the wall, a call to 999 will allow the release code to be given to access the unit in its locked box.

NW REGIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL SUBJECTS

 About Beauty  Digital Digging for Armchair Archaeologists  Architecture: The ABC of Cities  Medicine in the 21st Century  Russian and Soviet Culture  Science for Everyone  Ukulele for the Beginners  Recorder Playing  Painting with Stitches  Geology of Lakeland Landscapes

 At Newton Rigg College, Penrith.  29th August – 1st September  Fees – £275 for residential delegates. £155 for non-residential delegates. KEEPING ACTIVE AND HEALTHY

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Marple Bridge and Mellor U3A are hosting an initiative from Stockport Life Leisure to encourage older people to be active and have fun at the same time. It is open to other U3As in the Pennine Link. The sessions take place at St. Paul’s Church Hall in every Friday morning.

Zumba Gold is at 10.00 am. It is very gentle exercise to music and there is no pressure to be perfect – just to enjoy it. Refreshment follows.

Each session is open to everyone of either sex and costs £2 per week per session. With enough support it is planned to continue after the Christmas break. For further information please contact: Ross McGuigan – Stockport Life Leisure 482 0924 Geoff Fogg - & Mellor U3A 430 3517

GROUPS COORDINATOR

The Computer Group started on January 9th and runs to march 20th with 24 members The Group is running very well, thank you to the helpers for without them we could not hold the course.

Kath Taylor’s Beginners Dancing is delayed as Kath Taylor is not well enough.

The Discussion Group has vacancies.

Brian Strickland is now leading the Jazz Group. On Wednesday 15th February there will be a video with coffee break half way through.

The Walking Group have new dates and venues

Zumba Gold sessions are run by Emma on Fridays at St Pauls Compstall 10.00am-11.00am – Cost £2.00.

Indoor Cricket sessions have now finished.

Painting and Walking Holidays in Crete can be booked through Camille at [email protected]

There is a P& O Cruise Adomia – 14th – 29th July – Ring Kath for details

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WE NEED HELP

Please to get some more groups going If you have an interest you would like to share with others or an experience in any subject Weekly/monthly sessions can perhaps be arranged. E.G Outings/Dining/languages/Music If 4/6 or more people are interested we can arrange a house meeting and try to get something started HOW WE CAN HELP YOU? HOW YOU CAN HELP US?

YOUR COMMITTEE

Ian Worsley Chairman & N/Letter Editor Ruth Frost Secretary Allan Shimmin Treasurer Shirley McConnell Social Secretary & Vice-Chair Kath Bradley Groups-Co-ordinator Anne Alsop Minutes Secretary Gordon & Helga Taylor Chris Walters Web Manager 430-6714 Glenis Keenan Membership Secretary Maurice Keenan Almoner & Membership Sec Rose Shimmin

PENNINE LINK JOINT ACTIVITIES

ACTIVITY CONTACT TEL NO INFORMATION Architecture David Mathews 427-0372 Ring David for details Beginners Bridge Eric McGee 427-2904 Ring Eric for details Chess David Wilkinson 427-6487 Ring David for details Dancing-for-improvers Kathleen Taylor 427-0131 High Lane Village Hall Dancing Latin America Kathleen Taylor 427-0131 Scout Hut in Marple Memorial Digital Photography Joy Close 427-3292 Ring Joy for details Jazz Appreciation Group Robert Anderson 427-4041 2nd Wednesday at 2.00pm Map Reading Carole McConnell 4278903 Ring Carole for details Matinee Group Ruth Frost 430-4174 Announced at monthly meetings-N/Letter Music Appreciation Group 2 Jonathan Gort 430-3562 3rd Monday morning at 10.30am Outdoor Bowls Group Barbara Sharpe 285-0345 Marple Memorial Park Outdoor Bowls John Kent 427-5591 Torkington Park 10 to Noon Thursday’s Photography Lynda McLacland 427-7387 Ring Lynda for details Poetry Chris Farnswoth 427-6082 Ring Chris for details Scrabble Group Mavis Lewis 484-5524 Ring Mavis for details Table Tennis Group David Wilkinson 427-6487 Ring David for details Table Tennis Group Margaret Allen 427-5188 Ring Margaret for details Tai Chi Class Joyce Garside 430-6503 Ring Joyce for details Walking Group Judith Linch 449-7507 Ring Judith for details

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GROUP ACTIVITIES

ACTIVITY CONTACT TEL NO INFORMATION Art Appreciation Joan Taylor Ring Joan for dates and venues Book Group Ruth Frost Ring Ruth for details Conversation Spanish Eva Catlow Mon 2pm until 3,30 pm fortnightly Computer Literacy Gp Kath Bradley Ring Kath for details Discussion Group Shirley McConnell Ring Shirley for details Drawing & Painting Shirley McConnell Every Tues. 9.30am In the Studio First Aid Eileen Bush Ring Eileen for details French Inter Conversation Barbara Owen Ring Barbara for details Garden Appreciation(1) Kath Bradley First Wednesday in Month Garden Appreciation(1) Rosemary Turner First Wednesday in Month Garden Appreciation(2) Sue Lander First Wednesday in Month GD(3) & Social Group Jennie Machin Ring Jennie for details German – Advanced* Chris Walters 430-6714 Ring Chris for details (Fluent Speakers) German – Beginners* Chris Walters 430-6714 Ring Chris (Full as of April 2015) Literature Group Rose Shimmin Ring Rose for details Outings Kath Bradley Details at monthly meeting Play Reading Eileen Hadfield Ring Eileen for details Spanish Group Ruth Frost Weekly – Tuesday @ 2.00 pm

SPEAKERS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS 23RD February Karen Corcoran “The Lady Policeman” 23rd March Roger Braithwaite “The Frozen NW Passage in the 19th Cent

27th April Kevin Fitzpatrick “Life of a BBC Reporter”

25th May Raymond Smith “From Muck & Money to Stones& Roses “ Our meetings are held on the 4th Thursday of each month in the Community Centre. Members please arrive before 2.00pm for a prompt start, thus enabling the speaker to have a full quota of time. The Entrance fee is £1.00. Contributions for the next meeting before the end of APRIL to Ian Worsley 8, Lowside Avenue Woodley Stockport, SK6 1JU – TEL: 0161-430-6789. Preferable by e-mail to [email protected] Contributions also accepted by Kath Bradley. Thanks to all contributors. Also to Ruth Frost for organising the printing, collating and distribution

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